HAWKINS, William

HAWKINS, William (Hawkyns). 15?? — 1613. British Traveller. Of unknown origin, probably not the same as W.H., the nephew of Sir John H., who in 1582 sailed to the east under Edward Fenton. Our W.H. commanded the E.I.C.’s Hector to Surat in 1607. As an envoy of the E.I.C. visited the court of Agra in 1609-11. He became befriended with Jahangir, drank together with the emperor and instigated by him, married there an Armenian girl. In November 1611 he returned from Agra to Surat and later accompanied H. Middleton to the Red Sea and Java. From Batavia he set sail for England, visited Cape in April 1613, but died on board before reaching home. His Armenian widow married in 1614 Captain Gabriel Towerson and returned with him to India.